1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data communications techniques and in particular to data communications method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving data according to connection and non-connection data communication protocols.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a communication protocol, connection and non-connection communication protocols have been known. In the connection communication protocol, one party identifies another party to communicate with before communicating with the identified party, which is called xe2x80x9cConnection Writexe2x80x9d in the IrMC (Infrared Mobile Communications) standard (see xe2x80x9cTelecom Specificationxe2x80x9d). The IrMC standard has been introduced by the Infrared Data Association (IrDA), defining common data exchange formats and protocols for interoperability in mobile communications devices such as a mobile telephone, a mobile personal computer, and the like. In the non-connection communication protocol, on the other hand, the one party transmits data to another party in only one direction without identifying the destination, which is called xe2x80x9cUltra Writexe2x80x9d in the IrMC standard.
A mobile communication device having the infrared communication function as mentioned above alternately performs ON-LINE operation (search mode) and OFF-LINE operation (off mode) in a predetermined period.
According to the non-connection communication protocol, however, the non-connection communication cannot be performed during the ON-LINE operation. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3B, when a non-connection communication request occurs during the ON-LINE operation, an error state is generated and thereby the non-connection communication is not permitted until the ON-LINE operation has been completed.
Similarly, according to the connection communication protocol, the connection communication cannot be performed during the OFF-LINE operation. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8B, when a connection communication request occurs during the OFF-LINE operation, an error state is generated and thereby the connection communication is not permitted until the OFF-LINE operation has been completed.
An object of the present invention is to provide data communication method and apparatus which can promptly respond to requests of connection and non-connection communications.
According to the present invention, a data communication method in a station which alternately performs an online operation and an offline operation, the online operation including a search operation of searching for a specific station to communicate with, wherein connection communication with the specific station is allowed after a connection to the specific station has been established through the online operation and non-connection communication with any other station is allowed in the offline operation, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether a communication request for one of the connection communication and the non-connection communication occurs; halting a corresponding one of the online operation and the offline operation when the communication request occurs; and starting the other one of the online operation and the offline operation so as to allow requested communication.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a data communication apparatus alternately performs an online operation and an offline operation, the online operation including a search operation of searching for a specific communication station to communicate with, wherein connection communication with the specific communication station is allowed after a connection to the specific communication station has been established through the online operation and non-connection communication with any other station is allowed in the offline operation. The data communication apparatus comprising: a transceiver for transmitting and receiving data to and from another communication station; an input device for inputting an instruction; and a communication controller controlling such that when a communication request for one of the connection communication and the non-connection communication occurs, a corresponding one of the online operation and the offline operation is halted and the other one of the online operation and the offline operation is started so as to allow requested communication.
It is preferable that the offline operation is halted and the online operation for the connection communication is started in response to the connection communication request when a connection communication request occurs during the offline operation. It is preferable that the online operation is halted and the offline operation for the non-connection communication is started in response to the non-connection communication request when a non-connection communication request occurs during the online operation.
Further preferably, when a non-connection communication request occurs during the connection communication, the connection communication is disconnected and the offline operation for the non-connection communication is started in response to the non-connection communication request.
Since one of the online operation and the offline operation is halted when the communication request occurs and the other one is started so as to allow requested communication, prompt data communication can be achieved and power consumption is also reduced.